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>> Former South African President, Jacob Zuma, will on Friday face corruption charges relating to an arms deal from the 1990s. Thousands of his supporters are expected at Durban High Court protesting what they say is a politically motivated witch-hunt. Overnight demonstrations had already started. Reuters was there.>> From what we have learned over the years is that, despite the shortcomings of former President Jacob Zuma, is that his supporters will always be by his side.

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Behind me you have the religious organizations, pro-Zuma supporters holding a night vigil here. They've been singing and dancing saying hands off Zuma.>> Zuma plans to challenge the decision to prosecute him on 16 charges including fraud, racketeering, corruption and money laundering, that stem from a $2.5 billion deal.

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Zuma was deputy president at the time, which has cast a shadow over politics in South Africa for years. Charges were filed against him but then dropped shortly before he successfully ran for president in 2009. The case marks a dramatic development on the continent where leaders rarely face their accusers in court, but it won't be his first time before the judges.

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>> The case is not that significant in South Africa's recent Democratic history in that this won't be the first time that former president, Jacob Zuma, will be appearing in the court. If you remember, in 2006, he made his appearance there when he was charged for rape. So this is just many of the recent cases that Zuma has been involved in.

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>> Since his election his opponents has fought a lengthy legal battle to have the charges reinstated. Prosecutors refiled the charges after Zuma was forced from power by his own party in February.